Method and apparatus for forming a breakable connection between two portions of a closure cap



MUSY 3,416,474

Dec. 17, 1968 c.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A BREAKABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN TWOPORTIONS OF A CLOSURE CAP 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15. 1966CHARLESLMUSY 46 BY ATTORNEYS 50 47 INVENTOR.

gum/4444 Dec. 17, 1968 c METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A BREAKABLECONNECTION BETWEEN TWO PORTIONS OF A CLOSURE Filed Nov. 15. 1966Sheets-Sheet '2 L f 63 INVENTOR.

. 1.. MUSY 3,416,474

a I CH-ARLESLMUSY glgbf I/ABY Dec. 17, 1968 4 MUSY 3,416, 7

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A BREAKABLE CONNECTION v BETWEEN TWOPORTIONS OF A CLOSURE CAP Filed Nov. 15, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 F1" J] 55q v I INVENTOR. 4r 4; ;JQL CHARLES L MUSY 54 add/ m ATT ENEYS Dec. 17,1968 c. L. MUSY 3,416,474

' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A BREAKABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN TWOPORTIONS OF A CLOSURE CMv Filed Nov. 15. 1966 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTONEYS United States Patent Q 4 Claims. (:I. 113 1 The present inventionis a method and apparatus for making elongated cuts through the tubulardeformable metal skirt of a closure cap spaced apart in a linecircumferentially around the skirt with intermediate uncut bridgeportions to provide a breakable connection between the portions aboveand below the line.

The method and apparatus of this invention is particularly adapted forpartially preforming a closure cap to provide the form of cap disclosedin the copending patent application Ser. No. 518,708 of Charles Musy,filed Ian. 4, 1966, and now Patent No. 3,348,718, isssued Oct. 24, 1967.The closure cap disclosed therein is made of deformable material such asaluminum foil and has an elongated tubular skirt adapted to fit downover the neck of a container to be crimped in position thereon with thelower end of the skirt crimped under a shoulder on the neck and theupper end crimped into mating engagement with screw threads around thetop of the neck at the open end of the container. A line of cuts andintermediate uncut bridge portions circumferentially around the skirt inthe portion above the shoulder portion and below the screw threadsprovides a breakable connection between the top and bottom portions ofthe cap which breaks easily when the cap is unscrewed to open thecontainer. Accordingly, the container cannot be opened without breakingthe aforesaid connection. The cap therefore deters unauthorized orsurreptitious opening of the container and tampering with its contentsbefore its initial opening by a purchaser or other intended person.

The cap disclosed in the above-mentioned application is in condition tobe fitted over and crimped on the neck of a container and has thecircumferential line of cuts and intermediate bridge portions for thebreakable connection already formed in it. The cuts are elongated andthe intermediate uncut bridge portions are relatively short so as toconnect the portions above and below the line of cuts but to breakeasily when the cap is unscrewed to open the container. In accordancewith the invention disclosed in that application the lips of each cutare in face to face opposed relation an amount equal to at least part ofthe thickness of the skirt along at least a part of the length of thecut so that the opposed face portions of the cuts are in abuttingcontact when longitudinal pressure is applied to the cap to fit it downon the neck of a container preparatory to crimping it in positionthereon. The opposed abuting face edges of the cuts thus provideadditional longitudinal compressive strength to supplement the strengthof the bridge portions between the cuts to resist buckling of the cap atthe line of cuts and bridge portions when the cap is pushed down ontothe container neck. Since this additional compressive strength isprovided without having to reduce the length of the cuts or increase thewidth of the bridge portions between, it strengthens the cap tofacilitate putting it on the container initially without sacrificing theease with which turning pressure breaks the connection between the topand bottom portions of the cap when the cap is unscrewed.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for shearing thetubular skirt of a closure cap at spaced intervals to form a line ofelongated cuts circumferentially around the skirt with relatively shortuncut bridge portions between. The material of which such caps arenormally made is a metal foil about 0.25 mm. thick, and when suchmaterial is sheared in the usual manner, the shearing pushes one lip ofthe cut relatively across the other so that the opposite face edges ofthe cut are offset an amount at least equal to the thickness of thematerial sheared. Then, due to the deformable nature of the material,the faces of the cut remain in this offset relation after the shearingtools are withdrawn.

In accordance with the present invention shearing pressure is applied tothe skirt by a tool work surface which has a special configuration toapply pressure to a segment of the skirt over an area along and atspaced intervals, back from a rectangular edgewhich cooperates with arectangular edge of a support at the opposite side of the skirt-to shearthe skirt along its rectangular edge and depress adjacent portions ofthe skirt in a manner such that, when the tool is withdrawn, a portionof the edge of the cut, which was depressed by the shearing, springs outagain to a position in which the face edge of the cut at that portion isat least partially aligned in opposed face-to-face relation with theopposite face edge of the cut.

In apparatus in accordance with the invention, the portion of the skirtof a closure cap, which is to be cut, is arranged across a pair ofsupport surfaces spaced apart with an indentation between. One of thesupport surfaces has a rectangular edge adjacent the indentation and atool is arranged and operated to depress a segment of the skirt into theindentation so that a rectangular edge of the work surface of the toolcooperates with the rectangular edge of the support surface to shear theskirt along the length of the work surface. In addition to therectangular edge the work surface of the tool has two spaced apartportions extending from the edge with a concave indentation between.When the work surface is applied to cut the skirt the two spacedportions also press spaced parts of the skirt into the indentation ofthe support surface so that an edge of the cut formed by the shearingand two spaced parts of the skirt extending from the edge are pressedinward below the surface of the skirt an amount approximately thethickness of the skirt. The part of the skirt intermediate the twospaced depressed parts is only pressed in along a narrow edge portionsuflicient to make the cut along that part and when the tool iswithdrawn after making the cut the latter edge portion springs outwardto an extent which brings its cut face into at least partially opposedfaceto-face alignment with the opposite face of the cut at that pointalong the cut.

In the embodiment of apparatus of this invention described below, thesupport surfaces are coaxial cylindrical surfaces of a generallycylindrical support element over which the tubular skirt fits. Thecylindrical support surfaces are spaced apart with an annularindentation between and the peripheral edge of one of the supportsurfaces adjacent the indentation is rectangular to provide acircumferential edge across which segments of the skirt are sheared. Thetool is also generally cylindrical with a plurality of similar worksurfaces spaced apart in a circumferential line along a circular sectionof the tool. The support element and tool are both rotatable and theiraxes are parallel, the tool being arranged with its line of worksurfaces in line with the annular indentation of the support element.The tool is movable toward the support element to a position in whichone of its work surfaces engages and presses a sggment of a skirt on thesupport element into the indentation between the support surfaces of thesupport element so that the rectangular edge of the work surfacecooperating with a portion of the rectangular edge on the supportelement shears the skirt along the edge of the work surface as the worksurface presses a segment of the skirt into the indentation inconformity with the configuration of the work surface. The tool andsupport element are then rotated at the same peripheral speed but inopposite directions so that successive work surfaces of the tool engage,depress and shear successive segments of the skirt in a linecircumferentially around the skirt. The length of the sector of the toolon which the work surfaces are formed is at least equal to thecircumference of the support element and when a line of cuts has beenmade completely around the skirt on the support element, the tool ismoved away to permit removal of the processed cap and replacement byanother to be similarly processed.

In addition to the cooperating work surfaces and indentation for makingthe line of cuts, the tool and support element also include cooperatingknurling tool surfaces and a necking tool and complementary groove sothat the cap processed by the apparatus of this invention is provided inone operation with the breakable connection formed by a line ofelongated cuts and intermediate uncut bridge portions cireumferentiallyaround the skirt, a circumferential knurled portion, and an indentedgroove or neck which serves to secure a sealing disc of cork on othersuitable material within the top end of the cap.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method, and apparatusfor its practice, for making an elongated cut in deformable material byshearing in such a manner that a portion of one of the edges of the cutwhich is displaced relative to the opposite edge by the shearing springsback at least part way so that the opposite faces of the cut at thatportion are in opposed face to face relation at least part way throughthe cut.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for making aplurality of such cuts spaced apart in a line circumferentially aroundthe tubular deformable metal skirt of a closure cap leaving relativelyshort uncut bridge portions between to provide a breakable connectionbetween the parts of the cap above and below the line, whereby the cutsformed in the aforesaid manner increase the resistance of the cap tolongitudinal pressure without impairing the ease with which theconnection is broken by turning the top of the cap relative to thebottom.

A further object is to provide a method and apparatus for forming a lineof cuts and intermediate bridge portions, a knurled portion, and asealing disk retaining groove circumferentially around the tubular skirtof a closure cap in one operation.

The above and further objects and novel features of the presentinvention will more fully appear from the following detailed descriptionwhen the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. Itis to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for thepurpose of illustration only and are not intended as a definition of thelimits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being hadprimarily to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a closure cap havinga tubular skirt and showing a circumferential line of cuts andintermediate uncut bridge portions, a knurled portion, and an annularsealing disk retaining groove formed in the skirt by the method and withthe apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the tool and supportelements that comprise apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the tool element of the apparatusshowing in end elevation the cylindrical portion of the tool elementwhich has work surfaces for applying shearing pressure to a tubularskirt on the support element;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a part of the edge of the cylindricalportion of the tool element shown in FIG. 3 and showing a work surfacethereon in enlarged end elevation;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the part of the edge of the cylindricalportion of the tool element shown on FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a section along the line 77 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section of the necking toolportion of the tool element;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the second cylindricalsupport surface of the support element and adjacent cylindrical surfaceswhich are of smaller radius;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged section in the plane of symmetry through aperipheral portion of the support surface and parts of the adjacentcylindrical surfaces shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the first supportingsurface of the support element showing its rectangular peripheral edgeacross which a skirt supported thereon is sheared;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged section in the plane of symmetry through aperipheral portion of the first support surface shown on FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view in the plane of symmetry throughthe spaced apart support surfaces of the support element and acooperating work surface of the tool element showing a section of thework surface pressing a part of a skirt on the support element into theindentation between the support surfaces to shear the skirt along theedge of that part and to press a portion of that part of the skirtlaterally into the indentation, at right angles from the sheared edge;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13, but showing another part of theWork surface pressing into the indentation only the edge of the partof'the skirt to be sheared; and

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIGS. 13 and 14, but showing a spacebetween adjacent work surfaces in line over the indentation in thesupport element to provide an uncut bridge portion between cuts formedin the skirt by successive work surfaces.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings the apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention comprises a generally cylindrical tool element 10having surface portions cooperating with surfaces of a generallycylindrical support element 11 for incising and shaping the elongatedskirt 12 of a closure cap placed on the support element 11. The cap 13is a cap of the type adapted to be fitted down over and crimped on theneck of a container and is made of deformable metal such as aluminumfoil 0.25 mm. thick.

Looking at the cap shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus of FIG. 2 operates tomake a plurality of elongated circum ferential cuts 13 spaced apart in aline cireumferentially around the skirt 12 of the cap with relativelyshort uncut bridge portions 14 between. As shown, the line of cuts 13 isparallel to an annular bulge 15 formed in the skirt. In

forming each cut 13, specially shaped work surfaces of the toolelementsubsequently described in detailcause a portion of the face edgeof the lip of each cut, which is pressed inward during the cutting orshearing operation, to lift partially out again at a rib portion 16 soas to be aligned in opposed face-to-face relation with the face edge ofthe opposite lip at least part way through the cut at the rib portion16.

At the same time the appaartus makes the line of cuts 13 in the skirt12, it also impresses into the skirt a circumferential knurled portion17 and an annular groove 18 which serves to retain a sealing disk 19 inthe top end of the cap. The cap is made of deformable material, such asaluminum foil about 0.25 mm. thick, and before being worked on by theapparatus shown in FIG. 2, the skirt 12 is a smooth cylindrical tube,which slips onto the support element. After being incised and shaped bythe apparatus into the form shown in FIG. 1, the cap is pressed downtight over the neck of a container and crimped in position, with thebottom end portion of the cap being crimped in under a shoulder on theneck to secure it on the neck. The circumferential line of cuts 13 andbridge portions 16 then provide a breakable connection between thetopand bottom of the cap which breaks when the top of the cap is unscrewedto open the container for the first time so that the broken connectionthereafter provides visible evidence that the container has been opened.

As seen in FIG. 2, the body 20 of the tool element 10 is fixed on thespindle portion 21 of a shaft 22 by a key 23 and by a washer 24 and nut25 on the outer end of the shaft so that the tool element rotates withthe shaft. A motor, not shown, is suitably connected to rotate the shaftand tool element. A washer 26 on the inner end of the spindle portion ofthe shaft positions the tool element along the shaft for aligning thetool element with the support element. The longitudinal alignment of thetool element along the shaft may be altered by substituting anotherwasher 26 of a different thickness.

At the inward (left) end of the tool element 10 a flanged ring 27carried on a cylindrical boss 20a on the inward end of the body 20 isadjusted in axial position relative to the body by screws 28 and 29acting on respectively opposite sides of the ring. A peripheral flange27a of the ring 27 is received in an annular groove 30 in the supportelement 11 to fix the relative axial positions of the tool and supportelements.

A ring 31 (FIG. 3) having a tool sector 32 fitted therein, is carried ona cylindrical boss 20b on the outward end of the body and is centered bya ring 33 fitting in opposed matching grooves in the abutting surfacesof the ring and tool sector 31, 32 and the body. Next to the ring 31 area small ring 34 carried on the boss 20b and a larger knurling ring 35concentrically around the small ring 34, with radial play of about 0.2mm. between the rings. The peripheral surface of the large ring 35 is aknurling surface 35a. The inward side of the knurling ring 35 isundercut as indicated to provide a space 36 between the ring 35 and thering and tool sector 31, 32. At the outward end of the tool element adisk 37 (FIG. 8), having an annular rib 37a projecting from itsperipheral surface, abuts the concentric rings 34 and 35 and is securedover the end of the boss 20b by screws 38.

Still referring to FIG. 2, the support element 11 is formed by a numberof circular elements mounted coaxially in abutting relation on a spindleportion of a shaft 40 which is rotated by suitable connections to amotor, not shown. From the inward (left) end of the support element 11its components are: a washer 41; a ring 42; an elongated cylindricalmember 43 (FIGS. 9 and 10) having an annular rib 43a located near itsoutward end and separating a main cylindrical surface 43b between theinward end of the member and the rib from a short cylindrical surface430 between the rib and the outward end of the member; a shearing disk44 (FIG. 11) having a rectangular peripheral edge 44a at its inwardside; a

ring 45 having a peripheral knurling surface 45a; a ring 46; and abushing 47 which has an undercut cylindrical portion 47a and acylindrical end 47b threaded onto a ratus for incising and shaping theskirt 12 of a cap on the support element 11, the elements are spaced sothat the major portions of their complementary surfaces are spaced apartan amount equal to the thickness of the skirt 12.

At the inward end of the support element 11, the ring 42 between thewasher 41 and cylindrical member 43 is of a smaller diameter than theadjacent washer and cylindrical member thereby to form the annulargroove 30 in which the flange 27a of the ring 27 of the tool elementrides as means to hold the elements in adjusted axial relation with therespective complementary surfaces in correct operative alignment. Asshown in FIG. 2, the peripheral surfaces of the ring 27 (excluding itsflange 27a) and the body 20 of the tool element form a cylindricalsurface aligned with the major portion of the cylindrical surface 43b ofthe cylindrical member 43 of the support element, the opposedcylindrical surfaces being spaced apart the thickness of a skirt 12 whenthe elements are in operative relation.

The peripheral surface of the tool sector 32 in the ring 31 of the toolelement has an annular groove 48 between a cylindrical surface 49 and acircumferential line of work surfaces 50, subsequently described indetail. The groove 48 is aligned to cooperate with the rib 43a of thesupport element to form the annular bulge 15 in the skirt 12 of a cap.As seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rib 43a of the cylindrical member 43 hasan outer cylindrical surface 51 and quarter round sides 52 formingcurved surfaces extending the outer cylindrical surface 51 of the rib43a to the respective cylindrical surfaces 43b and 430 of the member 43.

Now referring back to FIG. 2, the cylindrical surface 49, which is atthe inward end of the sector 23 adjacent the cylindrical surface of thebody 20, is of a slightly larger diameter than the surface of the body20 so that a skirt 12 is compressed slightly between the surface 49 andthe cooperating surface 43b of the cylindrical member 43. The length ofthe peripheral surface of the tool sector 32 corresponds to thecircumference of a skirt 12 of a cap placed on the support element 11and the outside diameter of the tool sector 32 is about 1.8 mm. largerthan the outside diameter of the ring 31 in which the sector is fixed.In addition the outside diameter of the tool sector 32 at thecylindrical surface 49 is about 0.2 mm. less than the out- ;ialediameter at the circumferential line of work surfaces As best seen inFIGS. 13, 14 and 15, each of the work surfaces 50 has a rectangular edge53 at its outward peripheral edge cooperating with the rectangular edge44a of the shearing disk 44. The shearing disk 44 which is axiallyadjacent the outward end of the cylindrical member 43 has a largerdiameter than the adjacent cylindrical surface 430 of member 43. Thus,an annular indentation is formed in the support element 11 betweenperipheral edge 44a of the shearing disk and the rib 43a of the member43 and the circumferential line of work surfaces 50 of the tool elementare in line with the cylindrical surface 430, which defines the depthand width of the indentation, to press a portion of the skirt 12 on thesupport element 11 into the aforesaid indentation and to shear the skirtbetween the rectangular edges 53 and 44a thereof when the tool andsupport elements are in operative relation.

Looking at FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 the shearing disk 44 has two cylindricalsurfaces, 54 and 55, the surface 54 having a larger diameter than othersurface 55 with a quarter round portion 56 between. The largercylindrical surface 54 extends to the inward side of the disk 44, therectangular edge 44a being at the inward side of surface 54. When a capis placed on the support element, the skirt 12 of the cap is supportedon the cylindrical surface 54 of the disk 44 and on the cylindricalsurface 51 of rib 43a across the indentation between. The intermediatecylindrical sruface 430, which forms the bottom of the indentation, isbelow a line across the cylindrical surfaces 54 and 51 an amount equalto the thickness of the skirt 12 and, with tool and support elements inoperative position, the circumferential line around the work surfaces 50and around their rectangular edges 53 is in axial line with thecylindrical surface 54 of the disk 44. The cylindrical surface 54 of thedisk 44 is in line with the space 36 in the tool element, the space 36being slightly wider than the surface 54, and the sides of therectangular edges 53 and 44a are closely adjacent a common plane betweenthem at right angles to the axes of the elements. Thus the skirt issheared across the edge 44a by an edge 53 of one of the work surfaces 50when the portion of the skirt over the indentation is pressed into it bythe work surface.

Referring back to FIG. 2, at the outward side of the disk 44 the ring 45with a peripheral knurling surface cooperates with the ring 35 of thetool element, which also has a peripheral knurling surface, forimpressing a knurled portion 17 in :a skirt 12. The depths of the knurlsare about 0.2 mm. and the ring 35, which is concentrically around thering 34 with radial play of about 0.2 mm. between them, is rotatedrelatively around the ring 34 by the driving connection created betweenthe cooperating knurled surfaces of the rings 45 and 35 by the portionof the skirt 12 being knurled. Thus the ring 35 on the tool element isindependent of the rotation of the tool element and is rotated at thespeed of rotation of the support element. The depth of the knurls is afunction of the diameter of the small ring 34 (being relative to theamount of radial play between the rings 34 and 35) and may be varied bysubstituting rings 34 of a different diameter.

Coaxially outward from the knurling ring 45 are the ring 46 and bushing47, the circumferential surfaces of the ring 46 and the outwardcylindrical end 47b being about the same outside diameter as thecylindrical surfaces 43b and 430 of the cylindrical member 43. Thereduced cylindrical portion 47a of the bushing provides a groove betweenthe ring 46 and the cylindrical end 47b which is cooperatively in linewith the annular rib 37a of the disk 37 on the outward end of the toolelement to form the groove 18 in the upper end of the skirt of a cap onthe support element. As shown in FIG. 8 the rib 37a has a half-roundconfiguration in profile.

In operation, the shafts 22 and 40 on which the tool and supportelements are mounted are rotated in opposite directions and at speedssuch that the complementary surfaces of the elements move relatively inthe same direction and at the same surface speed to engage succesesiveportions of the skirt 12 of a cap on the support element and incise andshape it without slipping. The shafts 22 and 40 and the tool and supportelements mounted thereon are arranged by suitable means (not shown) tobe moved relatively toward each other an amount to bring them into theoperative relationship, described above, for incising and shaping theskirt 12 and to be moved relatively apart to permit a cap which has beenprocessed by the apparatus to be removed from the support element andreplaced by a new cap to be processed. A cap to be processed is placedover the support element with the closed end of the cap against the endof the bushing 47. When the cap has been processed the groove 18 formedin the cap is in the indentation inward from the cylindrical end of thebushing 47 to some extent, but not sufiiciently to prevent the completedcap from being pulled off over the end of the support element.

When a cap is placed on the support element 11, the tool and supportelements are moved together into operative relation and are rotated sothat the support element makes one complete revolution in contact withthe work surfaces 50 along the sector 32 of the tool element. Assuccessive work surfaces 50 thus move into engagement with successivecircumferential segments of the skirt 12 on the support they shear theskirt along the segments and impress a particular configuration whichcauses a part of the offset lip of each cut to move into at leastpartial face-to-face alignment with the opposite lip.

Referring to FIGS. 3-7 the work surfaces 50 are spaced along the sector32 of the tool element in a circumferential line with indentations 57between. In the operation of the apparatus, the indentations 57 form theuncut bridge portions 14 between the cuts 13 which are made by theshearing action of the peripheral edges 53 of the work surfacescooperating with the edge 44a on the support element. As seen in FIGS. 5and 6, the indentations 57 open into the circumferential groove 48 andthe corners of the work surfaces 50 at the groove 48 are cut off andmade concave at 58 by grinding with a cylindrical grindingsurfaceindicated in dash lines at 59applied to grind the corners of twoadjacent work surfaces 50. The grinding surface has a diameter about 4times the width of the indentations 57 and its axis A is inclined about40 into the work surface toward the plane of the outward side 60 of thesector 32.

The central portion of each work surface is undercut by a concave cavity61 which extends from a point close to the outward edge 53 back to thecircumferential groove 48. The cavity 61 opens into the groove 48. Thus,as seen in FIG. 5, each work surface has two spaced portions 62 of itsplanar surface extending back from its outward rectangular edge 53 tothe groove 48 at either side of the cavity 61. Referring to FIG. 7, thecavities 61 are fonmed in the work surface 50 by a cylindrical grindingsurface, indicated in dash lines at 63. The diameter of the grindingsurface is about 5 times the width of the indentations 57, and its axisA is inclined about 30 into the face of the work surface toward theplane of the outward side 60 of the sector 32.

In operation, a cap having an elongated tubular skirt 12 is placed onthe support element 11 with the portion, in which the line of cuts 13 isto be made, supported across the outer cylindrical surface 54 of thedisk 44, the outer cylindrical surface 51 of rib 43a and the indentationbetween. The tool element 10 is moved toward the support element toengage the cap on the support element. Then the two elements are rotatedin opposite directions at the same peripheral speed so that the profilesof the tool element and support element cooperate to incise, knurl andimpress the bulge 15 and groove 18 in the skirt 12 progressively aroundthe circumference of the skirt.

As the elements rotate, successive portions of the peripheral surface ofthe sector 32 cooperate with com plementary surfaces of the supportelement in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15. The annular bulge15 is formed in the skirt as the circumference of the skirt isprogressively pressed down over the rib 43a of the support element bythe cylindrical surface 49 and the work surfaces 50 of the tool element;the groove 48 which is bet-ween the surface 49 and work surfaces 50being in cooperative alignment with the rib 43a. The work surfaces 50press circumferential segments of the skirt into the indentation betweenthe rectangular edge 44a of the disk 44 and the rib 43a of the supportelement so that the rectangular edge 53 of each successive work surface50 shears a portion of the skirt in across the rectangular edge 44a tomake a cut 13. As seen in FIG. 13, the widest parts of each work surface50, which are the spaced portions 62, press a portion of the skirt intothe full width of the indentation between the rib 43a and edge 44a,

but, as seen in FIG. 14, the narrow central portion of the work surfaceonly presses a narrow portion 64 in at the cooperating shearing edges 53and 44a. The adjacent portion of the skirt slopes outward, as permittedby the concave cavity 61, to form that portion of the skirt into convexrib 16 extending from the bulge and to the narrow portion 64 at the cut.The bridge portions 14 between the cuts 13 are formed by theindentations 57 between the work surfaces as indicated in FIG. 15. Theconcave corners 58 at each indentation provide a curved part between theedges of the bridge portions 14 and the adjacent portions which arepressed in by the widest portions 62 of the work surfaces.

The planar surface of each work surface 50 presses the skirt into theindentation between the rib 43a and rectangular edge 44a an amountapproximating the thickness of the skirt. The above describedconfiguration impressed into the skirt by each of the work surfaces issuch that when a work surface presses a portion of the skirt into thelatter indentation and withdraws as the elements rotate, the narrowportion 64 at the center of the impressed configuration moves outwardagain so that the opposing lips of the cut along the narrow portion 64are at least partially in face-to-face alignment through the thicknessof the skirt. Thus, the portions of the lips of each cut adjacent therib portions 16 are in partial faceto-face relation and providelongitudinal support for the skirt at the circumferential line of cuts13 when the cap is pressed onto a container.

The knurled portion 17 and annular groove 18 are formed in the skirt ofthe cap at the same time the line of cuts 13 are formed. Thus, the skirtis shaped in condition to be fitted and crimped on the neck of acontainer in one continuous operation by apparatus of this invention.

The cooperating tool portions of the apparatus of this invention aremade of high chrome steel tempered to give it a resistance to drawing inthe order of 220 kg. per square millimeter. The disk 44 could also bemade of steel with tungsten carbide at its 'working surfaces to increasetheir service life.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present inventionmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiments.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a cut through a part of the wall of the tubulardeformable metal skirt of a closure cap comprising supporting the skirtacross a pair of coaxial cylindrical surfaces, said surfaces beingspaced apart with a space between and one of said surfaces having arectangular edge adjacent said space, applying pressure to a part of thewall of the skirt over said space in a configuration to press said partinto the space lengthwise along a portion of said rectangular edge toshear the length of the part across said edge and to press said partlaterally into the space at two spaced-apart portions thereof extendingacross the space at right angles from said edge whereby the cut edge ofthe sheared portion of the skirt between said two spaced apart portionslifts at least part way out of said space when the pressure is removed.

2. The method of claim 1 including making additional cuts in the samemanner in a line circumferentially around the skirt and spaced apart toleave relatively short uncut portions between. i

3. The method of claim 1 in which said pressure is applied to press saidpart of the wall of the skirt into said space an amount equal to thethickness of the wall of the skirt.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said pressure is applied progressivelyin a circumferential direction.

5. Apparatus for making cuts through the tubular deformable metal skirtof a closure cap comprising support means having first and secondsupport surfaces spaced apart with an indentation between for supportingthe interior of a skirt of a closure cap thereacross, said first supportsurface having a rectangular peripheral edge adjacent said indentation,tool means movable toward said support means, a work surface on saidtool means adapted when the tool means is moved toward the support meansto engage a portion of a skirt on the support means and press saidportion into said indentation, said work surface having a configurationcomprising a rectangular edge across one side and two spaced apartsurfaces extending generally at right angles therefrom with a concaveindentation between extending almost to the rectangular edge, said worksurface being aligned so that when the tool means is moved toward thesupport means to engage and press a portion of a skirt supported on thesupport means into said indentation, the rectangular edge of the worksurface cooperates with said rectangular edge of the first support meansto shear said skirt across the latter edge and said two spaced apartsurfaces and rectangular edge of the work surface press a correspondingconfiguration of the skirt into said indentation, and means to move thetool means toward the support means a sufficient distance for said worksurface to press a portion of a skirt on the support means into saidindentation and shear the skirt.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said support means comprises agenerally cylindrical body portion adapted to extend into the interiorof the tubular skirt of a closure cap, said support surfaces and saidindentation being coaxial cylindrical surfaces of said :body portion andsaid indentation being a cylindrical surface indented from a line acrossthe support surface an amount approximating the thickness of the wall ofa skirt to be supported thereacross, and in which said tool means ha. aplurality of similar work surfaces spaced apart in a line, and includingmeans to move said tool means so that said work surfaces are moved insuccession relatively around the circumference of a skirt over thesupport means to engage and press successive spaced portions of saidskirt into said indentation thereby to make a plurality of cuts throughthe skirt spaced apart in a circumferential line therearound.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said tool means comprises agenerally cylindrical body having said work surfaces projectingthere-from in a line circumferentially around said body, said tool meansand support means being mounted for rotation about parallel axesrespectively, and including means for rotating said support means, andmeans for rotating the tool means in the opposite direction from thedirection of rotation of the support means and at the same peripheralspeed when said tool means has been moved toward said support means asaforesaid.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the cylindrical body portion ofsaid support means includes a cylindrical surface adjacent said secondsupport surface coaxially at the side thereof opposite said indentationand having a radius less than the radius of the second support surfaceby an amount approximating the thickness of the wall of a skirt to besupported across said support surfaces, said second support surfacehaving curved peripheral edges, said tool means having a cylindricalsurface complementary to the said cylindrical surface of the supportmeans which is adjacent said second support surface thereof and anannular groove between said cylindrical surface and the saidcircumferential line of work surfaces of the tool means complementary tosaid second support surfaces of the support means to press said skirtagainst the said cylindrical surface of the support means and bulge theskirt over said second support surface when the tool means is movedtoward the support means to cause one of said work surfaces to depress aportion of said skirt into said indentation and shear the skirt.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which at least the portion of saidcylindrical surface of the tool means adjacent said annular groove has aslightly smaller radius References Cited than said line of worksurfaces. NITED A P 10. The apparatus of claim 8 which includes comple-U ST TES ATENTS mentary knurling tool surfaces respectively on the tool3,311,077 3/1967 Andrew et 113-1 means and support means for impressinga knurled por- 5 3,348,718 10/1967 Musy 21542 tion in a skirt on thesupport means when the tool means is moved toward the support means forcutting a skirt on CHARLES LANHAM Pnmary Exammer' the support means, theknurling surface on the support RONALD D. GREFE, Assistant Examiner.means being adjacent the first support surface thereof at the sideopposite from said indentation and the knurl- 10 US- Cl- X-R.

ing surface of the tool means being aligned to cooperate 113 80 21542therewith.

5. APPARATUS FOR MAKING CUTS THROUGH THE TUBULAR DEFORMABLE METAL SKIRTOF A CLOSURE CAP COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS HAVING FIRST AND SECONDSUPPORT SURFACES SPACED APART WITH AN INDENTATION BETWEEN FOR SUPPORTINGTHE INTERIOR OF A SKIRT OF A CLOSURE CAP THEREACROSS, SAID FIRST SUPPORTSURFACE HAVING A RECTANGULAR PERIPHERAL EDGE ADJACENT SAID INDENTATION,TOOL MEANS MOVABLE TOWARD SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A WORK SURFACE ON SAIDTOOL MEANS ADAPTED WHEN THE TOOL MEANS IS MOVED TOWARD THE SUPPORT MEANSTO ENGAGE A PORTION OF A SKIRT ON THE SUPPORT MEANS AND PRESS SAIDPORTION INTO SAID INDENTATION, SAID WORK SURFACE HAVING A CONFIGURATIONCOMPRISING A RECTANGULAR EDGE ACROSS ONE SIDE AND TWO SPACED APARTSURFACES EXTENDING GENERALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THEREFROM WITH A CONCAVEINDENTATION BETWEEN EXTENDING ALMOST TO THE RECTANGULAR EDGE, SAID WORKSURFACE BEING ALIGNED SO THAT WHEN THE TOOL MEANS IS MOVED TOWARD THESUPPORT MEANS TO ENGAGE AND PRESS A PORTION OF A SKIRT SUPPORTED ON THESUPPORT MEANS INTO SAID INDENTATION, THE RECTANGULAR EDGE OF THE WORKSURFACE COOPERATES WITH SAID RECTANGULAR EDGE OF THE FIRST SUPPORT MEANSTO SHEAR SAID SKIRT ACROSS THE LATTER EDGE AND SAID TWO SPACED APARTSURFACES AND RECTANGULAR EDGE OF THE WORK SURFACE PRESS A CORRESPONDINGCONFIGURATION OF THE SKIRT INTO SAID INDENTATION, AND MEANS TO MOVE THETOOL MEANS TOWARD THE SUPPORT MEANS A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE FOR SAID WORKSURFACE TO PRESS A PORTION OF A SKIRT ON THE SUPPORT MEANS INTO SAIDINDENTATION AND SHEAR THE SKIRT.